For the sake of one child, the ruler's command Was the death of all children in his own city. But the orphan was hidden in a far-off state, And, when a man, earned revenge for his father.

TRADITIONAL INTERPRETATIONThis
is a risky time, and you should avoid overreaching yourself. Do not get
embroiled in conflicts with others, and try not to strive for wealth
and fame, lest you encounter disaster along the way. You may have a
tricky time in your personal life, but patience and tolerance will let
you win through.

REFLECTIONStories of special children
being hunted at birth are to be found worldwide-the baby Krishna and
Child Jesus are just two examples. The moral here is that rash, fearful,
or vengeful actions will rebound. Trying to destroy what you fear may
well lead to that fear returning a hundred times worse. In Greek legend,
the basis of the tragic notion was the attempt to kill children
destined to overthrow you.

~ Stick # 1 ~

The Han dynasty began with the fall of a great city; Two generals strove to be the conqueror, One threw up walls around it, but the mightiest Could break them down to claim his throne.

TRADITIONAL INTERPRETATIONJust
as the general in this story became an Emperor, this predicts that you
will rise to a high position, so long as you seize the opportunities
given to you and strike while the iron is hot. In particular, this is a
very good fortune for anything to do with business affairs, although it
is possible you will have difficulties with a particularly tenacious
rival. It is also a fortunate moment for you to commit yourself to any
kind of relationship, and existing relationships will grow stronger.

REFLECTIONThe
symbol of the fall of a great city means that, in what you are about to
do, you must think big. The odds may seem stacked against you, but in
reality the time is right. Yes, you will meet opposition but this should
not deter you. In particular, if those who oppose you are guilty of
oppression or abuse of power, then the need to overcome them is greater.

**********************************************************

Each
day I sit down, take up the cup of sticks and ask the same question,
“What does the Keen community need to know or hear today?” I shake the
cup until a stick (or 2 or 3…) falls out. I then post the stick number
and the meanings for you to get what you can out of them.

The
sticks themselves are a form of I-Ching. There are a total of 64 sticks
in the set that I use* with a poem and small interpretation/story to go
along with each stick. The poems, meanings and reflections are meant
to be read and (as a good friend of mine once said) marinated in. In
our culture, we’ve grown accustomed to getting instant gratification.
In other words, we’re used to everything being given to us with little
or no work on our parts. These readings are the exact opposite of that
type of attitude.

Chinese Fortune sticks are meant to make us
slow down and reflect on what is being said. As each sticks’ meaning
can be profoundly personal to each person who reads them, it’s more
important for you to read them rather than have someone give you a
watered down version. These readings are meant to sing to a level of
your consciousness and bring you a measure of peace, or at least
enlightenment.

The best way to get the most you can out of these
readings is to approach them with an open mind. Before sitting down to
read that morning’s reading, make some quiet time for yourself. Sit
still for a moment and clear your mind. Silence the chatter in your
head and take a few deep breaths, letting them out slowly. Once you
feel yourself slow down a little (or a lot), read through the reading of
the day. Go over it a few times if you feel the need. Then take a
moment, sit back and think about what that reading means for you. Some
will be very straightforward; others require a bit more thinking.
Either way, let the reading from the sticks guide you that day on the
decisions or experiences you have. These aren’t meant to tell you what
to think, but rather to help you look at things in a different way or to
allow you to access truths you already have.